All Chapters of Beneath The Burning Silence : Chapter 11 - Chapter 19

After a long trek through the forest and the grueling scrutiny of the guards, the soldiers in brown uniforms finally released us from the silent escort. I was the first to lift my gaze. The sight before us unveiled something that one might, in a different life or under gentler circumstances, call a miracle—if miracles were still within the realm of belief.The settlement lay nestled deep within the forest, hidden in a natural clearing surrounded by trees so densely packed that from any other angle it would appear as nothing more than an untamed wilderness. The homes were built of earth and wood, partially sunken into the hillside, their roofs blanketed in moss and woven branches. They blended seamlessly into their surroundings, camouflaged not just by design, but by necessity. A narrow channel of water flowed gently, carved directly into stone, its murmuring a quiet hymn of life. Scents drifted on the breeze—mint, onion, and a few other herbs I couldn’t name. From a nearby garden, fra

The tavern was packed, its air thick with tension and the scent of sweat, oil, and stale beer. People crowded onto benches, leaned against walls, some clutching weapons—not out of threat, but habit. Maps, faded photographs, and handwritten notes adorned the walls, silent witnesses to the community's struggles.I stood at the edge of the circle right next to Merlin and Elia stood at the center, her voice calm yet firm, resonating through the room like ripples across water."We know who they are. We know where they come from. We know what they represent. And that's why we're here—to decide. Not to argue. Not to shout. To decide."A man with a red scar across his face rose first, his voice laced with bitterness."My child died because of those experiments, died before my eyes, because of you—especially you, Devin, or should I say Delta Seventeen. I saw her in that white uniform, soulless, empty-eyed, bloodied knife in hand. He wasn't even ten. And her? She was their face. Their message t

Tavien greeted me every morning without a word. At first, he didn't even say “good morning.” He would simply stand in front of me and toss me a wooden staff. The training was brutal—I often ended up on the ground, my body covered in bruises. But I never gave up. Even when every movement hurt, I would always get back on my feet, silently.Over time, he began offering brief instructions. “Lower,” “wrist higher,” “keep your balance.” They weren’t praise, but they were signs—signs that he no longer saw me as a threat. Perhaps not even as an intruder. The days were hard, filled with work, sweat, and relentless effort. But the nights... the nights were the hardest of all.One evening, I dreamed of the laboratory. It was cold, sterile, white. The air was thick with the scent of metal and alcohol. I lay strapped to a table, a harsh light blazing down on me. Voices echoed around me—technical commands, numbers, orders. Then, suddenly, I was alone. Everyone had left the room. And just as abruptl

I no longer knew where the dream ended and the nightmare began. Something was wrong—terribly wrong. My breathing was rapid and shallow, as though a heavy weight pressed against my chest, stealing the air from my lungs. Each breath felt like it might be the last. My heart thundered in my ribcage, pounding as if I had been running for miles, and I could feel the blood coursing through my veins, heat radiating, then giving way to a tingling numbness. The air was thick, sticky, almost alive. The ground beneath me felt unstable, as if I were standing on clouds that might give way at any second. I lowered my gaze to my hands—my fingers, my skin—they looked wrong, distant, not entirely mine. Around me, the scent of burnt leaves, wood smoke, and damp earth lingered, like a memory fighting not to be forgotten. I stood still in the center of the abandoned village, its silence louder than any scream."Is anyone here?!" I cried out, my voice sharp and panicked, echoing across the empty space.Not